Camelot
by sleepingthroughthestorms
Summary: "No, wait! Listen to me! It is my duty to protect this kingdom, and her people. Who's with me?" When a vengeful King Vortigern seeks vengeance upon Camelot and her rulers, everyone will do their very best to keep the kingdom whole and rising towards a peaceful kingdom. A Doctor Who/Arthurian legend story with original rendition of Arthurian Legend. Doesn't contain magic or slash.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I don't own Doctor Who

Hello, guys! Okay, so, new story. And bear with me because I've never written for Doctor Who before. :P Anyway, like the summary says, this will be an original rendition, and that's why I didn't label it a crossover or anything. There won't be any magic in it or anything, but I hope that you still like it and follow it. I'm not sure what else I should say, but if I think of anything... I'll let you know... later... ;)

Enjoy!

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**Prologue**

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A heavy darkness covered the room, and only the tiniest slivers of sunlight were let in through the moth-eaten curtains that covered the tall windows on either side of the throne room. Candlelight flickered in their candelabras, throwing tangerine light across the dark stone that made up the age-old castle.

Long, slim fingers tapped impatiently against the cushioned arm of the oversized throne, and though there was a delicately laid mask on the king's face, that little movement gave away the anger that flowed heavily beneath the surface, and the guards standing a few paces behind the seat dared not breathe for fear of setting him off. In the other hand, the aged king clutched a torn, blood splattered piece of blue fabric like a lifeline, brown eyes fixated on the cloth.

And his worn fingers continued to tap suspensefully against the throne.

A short, sharp knock suddenly rang against the large wooden doors, and immediately the king's dark eyes snapped towards the sound, greying black hair shifting against his shoulders, and he stood as quickly as his weary limbs would allow. His voice, sharp and uneven, called, "Come!"

A click resounded through the room as the lock on the door was released, and the hinges screamed with protest as the heavy doors were slowly pushed open. Standing within the threshold of the doors were four figures, two guards at either side of the entrance, and the two persons he'd been waiting for. Both wore dark cloaks, and as the they stepped forward, the foremost figure lowered her hood, revealing her sharp features and piercing green eyes as she bowed her dark head respectfully before the ruler. The one behind her did the same, but did not lower their hood.

"King Vortigern," the woman greeted in a sickly sweet voice, a wry smile creeping on her lips. "A pleasure to see you."

He did not respond to her and instead looked past her to the guards at the door. "Leave us." Giving the same command to the guards still standing behind the throne, the three were left alone in seconds.

The dark haired woman rose again, clasping her hands in front of her and creating new folds in her cloak. Her calculating eyes never left him, and her lids narrowed as she studied the king. "How may I be of service, my lord?"

Vortigern's lips tightened. "You know perfectly well, Morgana. You are the one who suggested the alliance after all."

The smile on her thin lips broadened to show the whites of her teeth, and a strange sense of bliss ran through her green eyes. "So you have decided."

Brown eyes hardened, and the king took a few steps to his right, still clutching the indigo material in his left hand. "I have heard it said that you can infiltrate Camelot, that you know her weaknesses."

"Indeed."

Without looking at her, he continued. "And that you have inside sources."

"Yes," she answered easily. "Is it safe to assume then that you don't want simple revenge?"

Vortigern whipped around, stalking to the other side of the throne and tightening his grip on the material in his hand. "What Uther did to my son in unforgivable, but it goes beyond that. Camelot, and the land that that wretched castle stands upon, was my father's before the War."

"I am aware of this."

"Then you are also aware of how Uther and his brother stole it while my father was weakened."

"As I recall, sire, your father surrendered the castle to keep this one to preserve yourself, and your family, alive."

"_He was disgraced, _Morgana. It was stolen from my father in an unfair bargain, and I will have my lands back. Uther has pushed me too far. I cannot allow this injustice to go unpunished any longer."

Morgana held her tongue, keeping the calm mask on her face. "Then what do you need me for when you have an entire army at your disposal?"

"I cannot have any ties to my kingdom. If something goes wrong, it cannot lead back to me."

"I see."

Vortigern paused in his stride and turned towards her, raising his chin ever so slightly as he looked at her. "Do we have a deal?"

The woman tilted her head, pale skin shadowed. "There is a price, my lord, as you well know."

Digging his hand into his pocket, the king pulled out a small sack of coins, tossing them to Morgana as the coins rattled. She caught it with deft fingers, smile growing as she shifted the small sack. "Gold coins. You will be paid the rest when your task if complete."

Again, she bowed humbly at him, eyes dancing with glee. "As you wish, sir."

"Now," he said again as he seemed to suddenly lose any tension he'd been holding and his shoulders relaxed, "may I ask how you plan to infiltrate Uther's court?"

She grinned teasingly at him, but consented. "Of course. Partners should know the other's hand." With a small wave of her fingers, the forgotten figure behind her stepped forward until the the long cloak was brushing the stone beside her. Still, Vortigern couldn't see a face, nor even tell if it was a man or a woman, but as they turned towards Morgana, and she gave an almost imperceivable nod, the figure lowered their hood. Dark, curly black hair replaced the hood, and tanned skin was exposed through the dim light. Blue eyes sparkled, and there was a small smile upon the tall youth's face.

"Who is this child, Morgana?" His voice and face betrayed nothing, but Morgana could see the silent anger bubbling there.

Her smile only widened as her piercing emerald eyes fixed upon the king. "He is no child, my lord. This is my faithful companion Mordred, and he is a trusted knight in King Uther's court."

King Vortigern's smile grew.

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Oh, that's what I wanted to say! Alright, so, firstly, thanks for reading! Secondly, updates will be kinda random and sporadic as I'm writing this as I go. Hopefully, though, a few friends will kick my butt if I start lagging *cough* AshleyBrandiOzErin *cough* Hope to see you again soon!

Please review. :)


	2. Legends and Fairytales

Okay. So... I've been working on this for the past two days 'cause the plot bunny hit pretty hard, and I really wanted to get this moving a bit. :P *cheers* But anyway, here's the first look at the Doctor, Donna, and Merlin. ;) I don't think it needs anymore explaining...

:)

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**Chapter 1: Legends and Fairytales**

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Wood creaked as the TARDIS door opened, and when one Converse show took the first step out of the time-traveling ship, gravel ground loudly beneath his feet. Narrowing his blue eyes against the sun, his brow furrowed in confusion at his surroundings, and he turned round. "Come on, Donna!" he called, voice echoing around the control room.

"Coming!" she called back just before appearing at the TARDIS' threshold. "Is that...?" Her nose scrunched distastefully, and her copper colored hair shifted on against her shoulders as she ducked her head.

"Manure," the Doctor, shoving his hands into his pockets and twisting away from the alleyway the TARDIS had parked in. "Fresh, too."

"But why...?"

Brown coat sweeping out behind him, the Doctor turned, carefully taking in the wooden houses on either side of him and the dirt road beneath his feet. The sounds of a bustling crowd got louder with each step. "Come on, Donna, let's find out where we are."

She stepped forward, careful to close the door to the wooden police box, and jogged to catch up to him. "Oi, I thought you'd promised me a planet _'where the trees sing and the grass hums.'"_

"Well, this certainly isn't it," the Doctor smirked, running a hand through his brown hair. as he glanced down at her.

Donna looped her arm through his, mimicking his pace as the diverse sounds grew louder. "So where are we then, spaceman?"

"I don't..." he trailed off just as they emerged from the alleyway. Colors and smells and sounds bombarded their senses as they both took in their surroundings: to the left, a large, shuffling crowd eyeing sellers stalls, which held a multitude of shining metal objects, colorful fabrics, and steaming foods; before them, a long stretch of marketplace stalls and an equal amount of buyers, as well as a few horse stables, and carts; and to their right, an even larger crowd... and an immensely tall castle. Light colored stone, speckled and chipped with age, nearly touched the sky, and both of the two people gaping at the snapping red flags atop the battlements and turrets felt their breath stop in their throats.

Donna, whose lips had parted in astonishment, turned towards the Doctor. "Is that a castle?"

"Appears to be."

"Like... a real castle? Turrets and battlements and courtyards and all?"

"And dungeons. Don't forget about the dungeons."

"Oh, who cares about dungeons? Or trees that sing? Doctor, that's a castle! I've always loved castles! Ever since I was a little girl."

The Timelord smirked humorously at her, eyes crinkling with his grin. "We still have to find out where we are."

"Let's go explore the castle," she gushed.

"Right after we find out where, or _when_, we are, alright?"

She narrowed her eyes and sighed in disappointment, but consented, and, pressing her lips together, allowed the Doctor to lead her towards one of the nearest stalls, which was selling an assortment of simple dresses.

"Excuse me," he said, gaining the merchants attention, "but could you tell us where we are?"

The peddler's thick eyebrows rose in astonishment, and he looked like he was fighting a laugh. "Had a bit too much cider, then? Well, yer in Camelot, sir."

The Doctor's eyes whipped back towards the castle, scanning it as his lips formed the name 'Camelot.'

The hold on his arm tightened, and he looked down towards his friend. "Did he just say what I think he said?" Donna asked, a look somewhere between excitement and confusion written on her face.

"Now," the merchant chimed cheerfully, "could I interest you in a fine dress, my lady? Would be a lot more comfortable than the riding slacks yer in now."

"No thanks," Donna muttered softly, dazed. "Doctor, did he just say...?"

"Camelot," he whispered, still gazing at the light-colored castle as the sun continued to rise over the battlements. "Donna, we're in Camelot."

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Donna jumped to catch up to the Doctor, who was striding towards the immense castle with determination written on his face. "Doctor, slow down, will you?" She caught up with him, shouldering her way through the crowd a pace behind him. He glanced back at her, high cheekbones catching the light as his cheek was cast in shadows. "Why'd that man think I was wearing riding slacks anyway?"

"Probably because you're a woman."

"Oi!"

The Doctor, shuffling through the center of the crowd, rolled his eyes back at her. "Donna, if this is Camelot, we're in medieval times, and women didn't exactly go around wearing trousers unless they were on horseback. And then it was still frowned upon."

"Oh. Well that's better than _'because you're a woman._'" Raising an eyebrow, the corner of his mouth twitched upwards, and finally they broke through the main part of the crowd. "Now where?"

"Over here." Turning right down another bare alleyway, the Doctor reached inside his brown jacket and pulled out his sonic screwdriver, grasping it with one hand while trying to cover it with the other. "Donna, move over here, will you? I'd rather not be dragged before the king on accounts of witchcraft if people see a random glowing blue light."

Lips parting once more, the red head gaped and immediately looked around. "That could happen?"

Pressing the button on the side the the device, an azure light lit up the side of the castle while a reverberating hum was smothered by the Doctor's speech. "Well..."

"It's happened before, hasn't it?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Well..."

_"Doctor." _

The sonic's light went off, and the Doctor raised it to eye-level. "Let's just say there was a little misunderstanding between me and a chameleon shapeshifter, alright?"

"Uh-huh. I'm going to pretend that makes sense," she said, pursing her lips. The look on the Doctor's face changed, and Donna shifted her hands on her hips, taking a step closer. "What is it?"

"Well," the Doctor said, clearing his throat. "It says we're in the middle ages, and that this castle is already ages old."

"So Camelot, then? Well we already knew that."

Clicking his tongue, the Doctor looked around uncertainly, narrowing his eyes as he examined everything again. "But we can't be. I mean, Camelot - It's a legend. It's not..."

"Well aren't Timelords a legend?"

He gave her a mock-annoyed glance. "Yes, but -"

"It's not impossible then, is it?"

"But it's a fairytale. King Arthur, Merlin, the Knights of the Round Table - it's a bedtime story."

"Come on, Doctor. If there's one thing I've learned traveling with you, it's that nothing's impossible," she said quietly, pointing her eyebrow as his gaze finally settled on the uneven stone of the castle.

He gave her a quick glance, biting the corner of his mouth before pursing his lips. "Fine. It's Camelot. _For now."_

Donna's grin spread, and she grabbed the Doctor's arm eagerly. "Great, let's go explore."

The Timelord groaned but let his companion drag him back into the throng of people. They turned right, towards the main courtyard of the castle, and when Donna saw the full expanse of the area, she stopped once again in awe, and her eyes widened as she gaped at the colorful banisters hanging from the overhead balconies, different emblems displayed on them. Laughter went up from the crowd, and two pairs of eyes turned towards at least half a dozen people performing circus tricks: juggling, blowing fire, throwing knives.

"Brilliant," the Doctor smiled. "I can't remember the last time I was at a circus."

"I can," Donna smirked, clapping her hands with the crowd. "Grandad took me when I was twelve. Worst peanuts ever."

"What'd you see?"

"Where?"

The Doctor glanced at her with a look of skepticism on his face. "At the circus."

"Oh," Donna said, "nothing. Mum was driving, and we arrived late."

Laughing, the Timelord shook his head. "Of course."

"Naturally."

Spotting a small entrance to the castle, the Doctor grabbed Donna's hand and pulled her away from the circus performers and a few feet further into the courtyard. They reached the entrance with little difficulty, and Donna pressed her lips together and glanced at the Doctor with mirth in her eyes when the two guards standing at either side of the entrance didn't stop, or question them.

"Knights? In shining armor?" she breathed once they were out of earshot.

"Those were soldiers, not knights, Donna," the Doctor corrected, walking up the set of stairs the corridor had brought them to.

"Well alright, _Timelord_, but we are going to see some knights, aren't we?"

Smiling, the man sauntered forward, "I expect so. We are in _Camelot_ after all."

Donna hopped next to him, voice high-pitched with excitement. "I know! This is brilliant, just brilliant!"

The Doctor blinked and turned the corner, laughing, only to find himself on the floor a second later and rubbing his head as the sounds of falling books echoed through the large corridor.

"Oh! I'm sorry," a voice said hurriedly. The Timelord found his vision focusing on a young man wearing a blue tunic and worn brown leather jacket. He scrambled up, using one hand to push himself off the floor, and stretched out his hand towards the Doctor. "Here, let me help you."

"Thanks," he responded, accepting the boy's hand as Donna inspected either of them, checking them for injury.

"Are you alright?" the young man asked, brushing a hand through ebony hair. His blue eyes sparkled with apology, but behind that was an undeniable smile of humor.

The Doctor sniffed, righting his suit jacket. "Yes, perfectly alright. And yourself?"

Leaning down to pick up the dozen books that lay scattered along the stone floor, the boy smiled, "I'm fine, thanks."

Donna crouched down to help him, stacking them in her hands before between the three of them, they had them all in their arms. "Well, I'm Donna," she introduced, clutching the books to her as the young man smiled politely. And then, nodding towards her friend, she said, "And this is the Doctor."

"Oh, you're a physician?"

Tilting his head, the Doctor answered, "Of sorts... I suppose."

"Doctor _who_, by the way?"

"Just the Doctor, actually."

Brow furrowing, the young man looked at him with confusion. "But you must have a name?"

"Not that anyone knows it," Donna sighed.

The boy just smiled in amusement, blue eyes crinkling. "Alright, Doctor it is then, I suppose. Nice to meet you both. My name's Merlin."

And Donna promptly stopped breathing again. The Doctor quickly glanced at her, taking in the shock in her eyes, and turned towards the youth. "Um, we can help you carry these. Where're you headed?"

"Physician's chambers, actually."

Nodding with approval, the Doctor raised an eyebrow as he and Donna, still dazed, fell in line with Merlin. "So are you a physician yourself?"

"Training to be. My mentor says I show promise."

"Wonderful," the Doctor complemented. "Congratulations."

"Thanks," Merlin smiled, nodding down a branching corridor. "It's just this way."

Donna shifted the three books she held and sidled up to the Doctor, a suspicious gleam in her eye. "Doctor, is that really -?"

"Sh."

Both eyes stayed fixed on the young man's back. "But is it?"

"It certainly seems like it."

"But I always thought he was an old man with a floor-length white beard and everything."

"Watching a bit too much Disney, aren't we?"

"Doctor," Donna grumbled.

"Well everyone has a beginning, Donna. He wasn't always an old man."

"Alright," she allowed, humoring him. "What about magic? Does he have magic?"

The Doctor's brow furrowed and he glanced down at her in disbelief. "Come on, Donna, magic isn't real. That's for fairytales."

"Camelot's a fairytale, you said," reminding him of his own words.

"Yes, but those are two very different concepts."

"Then what about all those stories about witches in the middle ages?"

The Doctor glanced down at her, rolling his eyes. "An alien race called the Carrionites tried to settle a colony on Earth in the thirteen hundreds. I stopped them."(1)

"Yeah, alright," Donna said skeptically.

"No, really, ask Shakespeare. He was there. No, wait, that was a different time."

"You met -"

"Here we are," Merlin proclaimed. Shifting his books into one arm, he grasped the hand with the other and opened the wooden door with a loud whine. The two time travelers followed the young man through the door's threshold and were amazed at the amount of clutter that was spread over the immense rooms four tables. "Sorry for the mess," Merlin apologized sheepishly, setting the books on visibly the only clear spot on a bench.

"No problem," the Doctor grinned, letting his gaze wander. "I gives the place character."

Merlin laughed and came to collect the books that either of them were still holding. He thanked them and brought them over to his own stack. "So are you two visiting?"

Opening his mouth and nodding, the Doctor said, "Yes, that's what we're doing. Visiting. Always loved a good visit."

Pointing a brow curiously, Merlin's grin broadened. "Right. Um, where're you from?"

"I'm from Chiswick, London," Donna answered, and, using her thumb to point at the Doctor, said, "And he's from -"

"TARDIS."

"Hm, never heard of it."

"It's... a small town outside of... Gallifrey-_ville._.."

"Never heard of that either," Merlin grinned. "But anyway, nice to meet you."

"And I could say the same," the Doctor smiled, showing the whites of his teeth. The young man blushed a bit and glance down at the books stacked on the table. The Doctor eyed the different colored vials on the table, picking one up with deft fingers and watching as the thick purple-ish liquid moved around the phial.

"That's valerian," the physician in training offered.

"Va-what?" Donna asked, stepping towards the table.

The Doctor showed her the vial, and she took it from his hands, looking at the soft purple liquid. "Valerian," he explained. "It's a plant. Commonly used to help people sleep more restfully."

"Well done, Doctor."

Long coat sweeping the ground as he turned, the Doctor raised his chin curiously. "So, Merlin, why aren't you down there enjoying the festivities? Well, that's what they look like at least."

The youth grabbed several of the thinner books and brought them over to a tall self a few feet behind him before placing them in obviously thought out places. He pressed his lips together and he spoke in a voice of disinterest. "Yes, they're festivities alright - for the prince's guests. They're arriving from all over just to see the event."

"What event?" Donna asked.

Merlin turned around before placing a final book in its place. "Surely you're joking?"

The Doctor turned back towards him, shifting his weight between his feet. "Nope. We just arrived ourselves - have no idea what's going on."

"Well, the prince is about to be crowned king."

"Prince who?"

Merlin grabbed another set of books and brought them over to a different, taller bookcase. "You really aren't from around here, are you?" he joked. "Prince Arthur, of course."

"Of course," Donna breathed, as if it was most obvious thing in the world.

Face scrunching, the Doctor, apparently unfazed by the news, scratched the side of his head. "And what about the king? What's happened to him?"

The boy pulled out a thick book from the shelf, putting another in its place as dust flew freely into the air. "He fell sick about a month ago. Hasn't recovered yet, and the council has deemed him unfit to rule. Arthur's been acting as regent ever since."

This time, the Doctor did sound surprised. "So he's going to usurp his father?"

"Not really," Merlin explained. "The Court Physician doesn't expect the king to recover, so there's no real chance that he'll ever be fit to rule again. The royal council would rather have a solid ruler than a princely regent since it apparently makes Camelot look weak. I don't know - politics and all that."

"How do you know so much anyway?" the Timelord smirked.

"The Court Physician is my great-uncle and guardian, and he's on the council. The king's best friend, actually, if he has one."

"Your guardian?" Donna asked quietly, concern showing in her eyes. "Where're you parents?" The Doctor looked equally as curious, and Merlin didn't seem fazed by the question.

"I've never met my father, and my mother died when I was a child. Gaius took me in as his own."

"You're a bastard?"

Donna whipped towards the Doctor, eyes wide._ "Doctor!" _

"No, Donna, that's not what I mean - It's -"

A small laugh got both of their attention, and Donna, eyes still burning, looked away from the Doctor, whose eyes were wide with misunderstandings, and towards the smiling youth. "It's alright, Donna."

"No, it's not!"

"Donna," the Doctor whispered quietly, "a bastard, _in the middle ages,_ is a child that is born before his parents enter wedlock. It is a technical term, not an insult."

"Oh."

"It doesn't bother me either way," Merlin piped up, the smile on his face never waning. A trumpet sounded, the loud din coming in through an open window in the room, and all three of them turned towards the sound. The young man walked over to it and hopped up the three stairs that, if you turned left, continued upwards to another landing, but he stayed on the smaller landing just below the window. "It looks like King Davin and his party's arrived. Come on, you can see the prince while we're down there." The boy hopped down from the landing, leading the way towards the door as the Doctor and Donna trailed behind him.

Donna's shoulder brushed against the Doctor's arm, and she whispered softly, "So we really are in Camelot? With Merlin and Arthur and everyone?"

"Looks like it."

"But this isn't how _any_ of the legends I've read played out..."

"Well, Donna, it looks there's a different version of the story." The Doctor glanced down at her, eyes brimmed with curiosity and wonderment as they turned the corner to follow Merlin. His eyes settled on the young man's back and he thought everything he had told them. "And it looks like we're going to see it played out."

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(1) taken from 3x02 - thank you wonderful (and sometimes horrid) memory... and Google. *sheepish grin*

I hope you enjoyed it! :D Personally, I'm kinda excited for this. ;)

Please review.


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